The best things to do in Sydney this weekend

The Sydney Fringe Festival is back for another year, taking over Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter from August 26 to October 11. This year’s line-up is stacked, and will see the return of the Fool’s Paradise hub alongside a dedicated Fringe Kids program. For acrobatics, comedy, cabaret, live music and burlesque, head straight to Fool’s Paradise. Spanning two dedicated venues, ‘The Virago’ and ‘The Bunker’, this year’s festivities are curated by the award-winning team at Head First Acrobats. Expect edge-of-your-seat stuff, with performances – day and night – that are guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping (all from the safety of your seat). Got little ones in tow? The Fringe Kids program takes over the precinct for two weeks during the school break, with a line-up of music, magic, giant bubbles, hands-on science and circus acts. With highlights like All Star Circus and the Flying Bubble Show, and tickets starting at just $12, consider your kids' holiday boredom cured. With the entire seven-week line-up consolidated into one hub, you can catch a show, grab a bite to eat and soak up all the Fringe vibes without even having to rack up a massive step count. Refuel at the Fool’s Paradise bar with signature cocktails and snacks, or explore the many restaurants, cafes, markets and pop-up food stalls around the precinct.Performance times and ticket prices vary by show. To explore the full program, check session times and secure tickets, visit the Sydney Fringe Festival website.

A sawfish swimming alongside a sea turtle in the Pilbara. Royal penguins stopped in their tracks by an enormous elephant seal. A Tassie devil fighting for survival. A whimbrel racing an incoming wave with a freshly caught crab in its beak. Flame-like patterns formed by the tides across a Western Australian sandbank. It’s true what they say: a picture definitely does speak a thousand words. Opening at the Australian Museum on September 12, the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition brings you face-to-face with some of the most extraordinary moments in the natural world. From wildlife encounters to otherworldly landscapes, these photographs offer a rare glimpse into the beauty and fragility of nature in our region. This free exhibition, produced by the South Australian Museum, showcases the finest images selected from 2,129 entries by 501 photographers across 17 countries. Spanning Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea, the photographs take in everything from critically endangered species and dramatic animal encounters to patterns and textures of the natural landscape. Western Australian photographer Matt Deakin has been named the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year for Ethereal Encounter. His mesmerising aerial photograph captures a critically endangered green sawfish moving towards a group of green turtles in the shallow waters of the Pilbara. Shot in the last light of the day, the milky water gives the...

A celebration of all things Suntory has transformed the basement of Sakura House into Suntory House – where drinks from across Japan and the world are front and centre until October 3, 2026. Suntory is one of the biggest names in the global drinks industry, and you’ll be able to order any one of their crowd favourites alongside Japanese-style share plates at this limited-time residency in this top CBD bar. Suntory House is broadly inspired by the Japanese concept of nomikai: informal, communal after-work drinks. Expect spirits, RTDs, cocktails (especially highballs) and beer on tap alongside a food menu inspired by konbinis and izakayas – think chicken karaage, Balmain bug katsu sandwiches, aburi salmon handrolls and more. If you’re into your spirits, you’ve probably sampled Suntory-owned labels like Roku Gin, Toki Whisky, Haku Vodka, Laphroaig and Jim Beam. And if you prefer your drinks carbonated, it’s unlikely you’ve never tasted a -196 RTD or a crisp Japanese beer like Suntory The Premium Malt’s. Suntory House is open daily from 5pm, but Wednesday visitors will be treated to Hi-Kara Wednesdays presented by Suntory “Kabukin” Whisky. As part of this promotion, you can order a Suntory Kabukin Whisky Highball with chicken karaage for just $25. It’s all on offer for a limited time only – you have less than a month to visit and see it firsthand. Suntory House is taking place inside Sakura House daily from 5pm until October 3, 2026, walk-ins only. For more information, visit...

We all know that politics is a greasy machine where idealism goes to die. A hot new frontrunner for a local electorate seat can hold the bright-eyed hope of youth, while a hard-edged minister eroded by the gravity of office just wants to get the day done so they can head to the nearest bar.  Emily Steel’s Housework aims high, wanting to cover the vast range of staffers of every rank who keep our democracy running – from hopeful interns through to the highest seat in office. Where she lands is often predictable and all-too-familiar territory. The result is an Australian version of House of Cards, but with a lot less blood and a lot more pastries. What is the plot of Housework? First-term MP of a marginal seat in Sydney, Ruth Mandour (Susie Youssef), won her campaign on first-hand experience and relatable candour as a nurse during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, her hard-working Chief of Staff Anna (Emily Taheny) is the real backbone of the successful campaign. With Media Advisor Ben (Laurence Boxhall) and the preppy new junior staffer Kelly (Franca Lafosse) rounding out her team, their task is to keep the energy from Ruth’s win all the way through to the nation’s capital. After a negative Covid test sees Ben replaced by Kelly on a trip to Canberra, Anna uses her previous – possibly intimate – relationship with the Minister for Science, Paul (Johnny Nasser) to help get Ruth’s women’s health bill to cabinet. But Paul’s eyes linger elsewhere as an all-too-familiar scandal...

Theatregoers, ballet fans and lovers of all things gothic, there’s a union of all your interests out there, and it’s making a bloody return to Sydney this September and November. Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest takes the centuries-old story of the world’s most famous vampire and turns it into a tragedy told through dance. The Australian-made BIG Live production has played sold-out seasons in London’s West End, Edinburgh, San Francisco and Singapore, breaking the all-time record for the largest attended single production of Australian-made ballet. But it’s back on familiar hunting grounds now, and will spread its tale of dark romance and bloodlust, thanks to acclaimed performances by an alumni cast. That starring cast includes returning performers Ervin Zagidullin as Dracula and Abbey Hansen as Mina Harker, supported by renowned guest artist Adamzhan Bakhtiyar as Dracula in select performances. They’re choreographed by BIG Live Co-Founder Joel Burke, who, with Dracula, wanted to create a ballet that could be enjoyed by veteran and newcomer audiences alike. And as for the music, core to any ballet show, Dracula is scored by the Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez, and features classical works from maestros like Bach, Rachmaninov, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Debussy.  Expect fiery passion, bared teeth, captivating physicality and the kind of gothic grandeur that only Dracula himself could conjure. A strictly limited season will play at the State Theatre from September...

A friend who recently returned from Tasmania's Dark Mofo told me it was her mission to "find the Dark Mofo every day" here in Sydney, and I had to admit it was a pretty good strategy for living well. Tracking down offbeat arts on any given day in the Harbour City generally takes a bit of digging, but during Sydney Fringe, it’s served up on a silver platter. NSW's biggest celebration of independent arts is landing back in Sydney this spring, and I know we say this every year, but seriously – this year's program is bigger than ever. From August through October, Sydney Fringe Festival will transform theatres, warehouses, heritage buildings and public spaces across the city with more than 350 events featuring 2,000-plus artists at 64 venues. From delightfully boundary-pushing theatre to wildly impressive circus acts, conversation-shaping comedy and full-throttle parties, this year's line-up is stacked with shows and events that are pretty much guaranteed to fill your cultural cup, no Tassie trip required. The festivities kick off with Fringe Ignite! on Saturday, August 29, when Darlinghurst's Stanley Street will be closed to traffic and transformed into a free, all-ages street party. Expect live music, roaming performers and plenty of food as one of Sydney's fave inner-city streets comes alive for one wild afternoon and evening. Arts-wise, there's way more on than we can cover in one listing. Among this year's biggest drawcards is Copa on The Rocks, where Andrew Bukenya will...

The State Library of NSW is celebrating its 200th birthday – and you’re invited. 200 Years of Awe is a six-week program of performances, talks and free events that brings together First Nations storytelling, live music, theatre, dance and plenty of reasons to visit. RECLAIM: A Contemporary Ceremony September 11-12, Mitchell Library Reading Room Director, choreographer and storyteller Stephen Page AO brings dance, spoken word, poetry and music together in RECLAIM. The powerful work celebrates the resistance, resilience and enduring culture of First Nations peoples. Earth Flow September 18-19, Mitchell Library Reading Room Composer and yidaki (digeridoo) master William Barton presents Earth Flow, a stirring celebration of memory, connection and living knowledge. Joining Barton are Aunty Delmae Barton, Jack Thompson, Ray Martin and the Sydney Street Choir. A Night at the Library September 20, 29, 30 & October 1, Library Auditorium What happens when a young student who doesn’t like reading gets stuck in a library overnight? Bell Shakespeare’s A Night at the Library turns that nightmare into an adventure filled with literary greats, fictional characters and plenty of fun.  The Scott Sisters: Pioneers of Science and Art September 25-27, Library Auditorium Step into the remarkable world of Harriet and Helena Scott, the 19th-century sisters whose exquisite illustrations helped put Australian butterflies on the map. Created by Skye McIntosh, this immersive work blends animation,...

Society’s definition of success has long been measured in the currencies of wealth, status, power and prestige. The threads of capitalism are so deeply woven into the fabric of our lives that we can sometimes mistake power for responsibility, prestige for accountability and influence for merit. It is a particularly pertinent distinction at a moment when the world’s most powerful democracy is once again led by a businessman, and popularity, power and status are increasingly treated as interchangeable with competence, responsibility and merit. What is the premise of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying? It is within this uncomfortable landscape that How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which premiered on Broadway in 1961, could find renewed relevance. The musical follows J. Pierrepont Finch (Jake Speer), an ambitious young window cleaner who uses a self-help book to manipulate his way into a job at the World Wide Wicket Company and climb the corporate ladder. As he becomes entangled with Rosemary Pilkington (Georgia Laga’aia), rival Bud Frump (Max Macdonald) and company president J. B. Biggley (Simon Burke), Finch’s increasingly audacious schemes satirise workplace politics, unchecked ambition and the uncomfortable reality of success in a world that rewards the shameless and self-interested. What are the highlights of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying? The production shows considerable promise from the outset. Director and...

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London has become a home for staggering visuals and reimaginings of classic musicals. The most recent touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar arrived with rave reviews and award-winning performances from its electrifying revival of the rock musical. Now, Fiddler on the Roof gets its turn for a facelift at Theatre Royal Sydney, with a backing from a stellar team whose work covers Olivier and Tony Award-winning productions.  What is the premise of Fiddler on the Roof? It’s 1905 in the fictional shtetl of Anatevka set in Tsarist Russia, twelve years before the Russian Revolution of 1917. A ghostly rise of the curtain sees Ben Adler’s Fiddler on a flat-roofed stage, the name of the village faces backwards towards the band sitting behind a high row of wheat fields. Tevye, a Jewish milkman, leads his family by their proud traditions. This means a loyal wife, visits to the matchmaker, five obedient daughters, and daily conversations with God. But this is a time of change, his daughters wish to break away from the closed community’s traditions amidst the backdrop of a changing world.  Throughout, we see more than just Tevye’s family dynamics needing to grapple with forces far greater than Anatevka can withstand.  Who are the cast and crew of Fiddler on the Roof? Jordan Fein’s direction gives ample scope for spectacle, particularly when Julian Cheng’s choreography is placed front and centre – the high-energy traditional dances are the show’s...

Greek mythology is definitely having a moment thanks to Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster The Odyssey, but Sydney’s very own White Rabbit Gallery is the place to be if you want to learn about Chinese mythology.  Established in 2009 to showcase philanthropist Judith Neilson's remarkable collection of 21st-century Chinese contemporary art, The White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale has become one of Sydney's most fascinating cultural spaces. And now, David Williams brings us Black Myth, the gallery's 33rd exhibition that explores how ancient Chinese myths continue to shape our modern, technology-centric lives. Inspired by the hit 2024 video game Black Myth: Wukong – a modern reimagining of the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West – the exhibition examines the darker side of mythology and the enduring power of storytelling. Journey to the West follows the monk Tang Sanzang and his travelling companions: the mischievous Monkey King Sun Wukong, the pig-faced Zhu Bajie and the loyal river ogre Sha Wujing as they embark on an epic quest to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures. Mirroring that legendary adventure, the video game Black Myth explores journeys of every kind – physical and metaphysical, inner and outer – while delving into the Chinese ideas of transformation and transcendence. Artists include Sun Xun, whose intricate woodcuts and ink paintings create entire imagined worlds; Zong Ning, who reinvents ancient legends through contemporary photography and everyday...